Massage apparatus.



No. 795,213. PATENTED JULY 18, 1905. G. W. PITZ.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21.1905.

ll lllll Ill-Illll ll-Ill lllllilllll UNTTED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT @rrrca.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 795,213, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed April 21, 1905. Serial No- 256,812.

To (1 11/71/0711, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. FITZ, of

. Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Massage Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to massage apparatus adapted for internal use; and it has for its ol ject to enable a massage-applicator to have a variable gyratory or orbital movement within the cavity operated upon, the diameter of the orbit being adjustable to any extent desired by the operator.

The invention consists in the improvements which 1 will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a View representing in section a portion of a massage apparatus shown in a previously-filed application and representing in side elevation a portion of the device embodying the present invention, the outer portion of said device being broken off to reduce the length of the figure. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the applicator shank, spring, and coupling member, the lefthand end of this figure corresponding with the right-hand end of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a side View of a different form of applicator. Fig. @t represents diagrammatically the method of varying the diameter of the orbit of the applicator.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

in Fig. 1 l have shown a portion of a massage apparatus which forms the subject of my application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed February 20, 1905, Serial No. 246,378, and comprises a casing/t, in which is journaled a shaft l), which may be rotated by any suitable means, such as an electric motor journaled in the casing. 0 represents a fulcrum-ring supported by an arm or extension 11', forming a part of the casing. 1] represents an applicator-operating shank, one end of which is engaged eccentrically with the shaft 6, the shank passing through the fulcrumring (f and projecting from the arm a. The rotation of the shaft causes the shank (Z to oscillate on its fulcrum, the end portions of the shank being revolved or gyrated in an orbit.

in the apparatus shown in the above-mentioned application the operating tool or applicator was connected rigidly with the outer end of the shank (Z, so that the applicator had a positive gyratory motion the orbit of which was determined by the adjustment of the fulcrum-ring c. In carrying out my present invention 1 connect the applicator yieldingly with the operating-shank (Z, so that the applicater has a yielding gyratory motion. The applicator is formed for insertion in an orifice and is provided with means whereby the diameter of its orbital movement may be varied within any desired limits.

,0 represents the applicator, which may be of probe form, as shown in Fig. 2, or of ball form, as shown in Fig. 3, or of any other desired form. The applicator is affixed to the outer end of a slender elongated outer shank h, which is preferably made of light metal tubing. The inner end of the shank it is provided with a yielding section b, which is preferably a helical metal spring affixed to a suitable enlargement or collar on the inner end of the shank it.

vi represents a coupling member suitably affixed to the spring 72 the coupling member t' being flexibly connected with the shank it by the spring A. The coupling member i is adapted for engagement with a complemental coupling member-2" on the shank (Z, which for convenienceI will hereinafter designate as the inner shank.

1' represents a weight which is adjustably mounted on the outer shank and is preferably formed as a sleeve or collar. adapted to move toward or from the applicator r hen the inner shank (j is gyrated, its movement is imparted yieldingly to the outer shank h by the spring The inertia of the weight j is such that the said weight remains practically at rest, instead of being gyrated with the shank b, so that the weight forms a node. The portions of the shank at opposite ends of the weight are gyrated, while the portion surrounded by the weight remains practically at rest this action being permitted by the yielding connection between the outer and inner shanks afiorded by the spring it, It will be seen by reference to Fig. 4 that the distance between the weightj and the applicator determines the diameter of the orbit of the applicator. When the weight is in close proximity to the applicator, as shown at the bottom of Fig. 4, the orbit of the applicator is reduced to the minimum, while a movement of the weight away from the applicator causes a corresponding enlargement of the diameter of the orbit shown by dotted lines.

The weight is provided With a handle j, by which it may be adjusted. The outer shank is preferably bent at h so that its weight and applieator-carrying portion is oblique to its inner portion and to the inner shank (Z. The handle 7' is arranged at one side of and substantially parallel with the oblique portion of the outer shank. This arrangement is adopted for the convenience of the operator, the said arrangement preventing the operators view from being obstructed by the casing-arm a.

I do not claim herein any of the structure or arrangement of the casing 11/ rt, shaft 6, fulcrum-ring c, and shank (Z, nor the means whereby the shank (I is operated by the shaft 7), nor means whereby the shank (Z is held from rotating about its longitudinal axis, as the same form the subject-matter of claims in my applicatirm, Serial No. 2%,378, above referred to.

I claim 1. A massage apparatus COIHIHiSiDg a shank having an applicator at its outer end, means for yieldingly gyrating the shank to give the applicator an orbital movement and adjustable means for forming a node between the ends of the shank to vary the diameter of the orbit of the applicator.

2. A massage apparatus comprising a shank having an applicator at its outer end, means for yieldingly gyrating the shank to give the applicator an orbital movement and an adjustable weight mounted on the shank to form a node ata variable distance from the applicator.

3. A massage apparatus comprising ashank having an applicator at its outer end, means for yieldingly gyrating the shank to give the applicator an orbital movement, an adjustable node-forming weight mounted on the shank and adapted to be inserted with the shank in an orifice, said weight having an operatinghandle.

l. A massage apparatus comprising a shank having an applicator at its outer end, and a yielding section at its inner end terminating in a coupling member and an adjustable nodeforming weight mounted on the shank.

5. A massage apparatus comprising a shank having an applicator at its outer end and a helical spring affixed to its inner end, a coupling member alii Xed to the spring and a nodeforming weight slidingly mounted on the shank.

6. A. massage apparatus comprising a positivelygy rated inner shank, having a coupling member, an outer shank having at its inner end a conmlemental coupling member and at its outer end an applicator, a yielding colinection between the outer shank and its coupling member whereby the outer shank is yield ingly gyrated and a node-forming weight mounted on the outer shank.

T. A massage apparatus comprising a positively-gyrated inner shank, having a coupling l'nelnber, an outer shank having at its inner end a complemental coupling member and at its outer end an applicator a yielding connection between the outer shank and its coupling member whereby the outer shank is yieldingly gyrated, the said outer shank being bent so that its outer portion is oblique to the inner shank, and a node-forming weight mounted on said oblique portion and having a handle which is substantially parallel with said oblique portion.

in testimony whereof l have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. FITZ. 

